THE COLOR WHEEL: A FASHION GUIDE ON MATCHING YOUR OUTFITS’ AND ACCESSORIES’ COLORS
Clueless about matching your outfits’ and accessories’ colors together? We give you the color wheel: the ultimate guide to choosing the right colors for a visually appealing and bold look.
Before we unpack the fashion aspect of this blog post, let’s understand what the color wheel is.
- The color wheel
- Primary, secondary and tertiary colors
- Color temperatures: warm and cool
- Use the color wheel to match colors
- Style your look with analogous colors
- Style your look with complementary colors
1. THE COLOR WHEEL
The color wheel is a pie chart that shows different connections between colors. In 1704, Sir Isaac Newton invented the first asymmetrical color wheel in his “Opticks” novel. Since its creation, many artists and fashion designers have used the color wheel to create color combinations that uplift their works’ visuals. Thanks to its organized rainbow pattern, the chart presents the colors that work best together.
2. PRIMARY, SECONDARY, AND TERTIARY COLORS
The color wheel is divided into 3 components: primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.
The color wheel consists of 3 color components: primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.
Primary colors are pigment colors that can’t derive from other color combinations. They include red, blue, and yellow.
Secondary colors are primary colors mixed. Secondary colors include green, purple, and orange.
Tertiary colors mix primary and secondary colors. They have two-worded names, such as yellow-orange, blue-purple, and red-violet.
3. COLOR TEMPERATURES: WARM AND COOL
Secondary colors mix into different shades of tertiary colors, or the color temperatures. Left of the color wheel: cool colors (blue, green, and purple). Right of the color wheel: warm colors (orange, yellow, red, and their mixtures).
Every time you put secondary colors together, more shades of tertiary colors blend. Think of these shades as color temperatures that range from dark to light colors. They are known as warm and cool colors.
Warm colors classify as orange, yellow, red, and their blends. Just like the name, these colors make you think of warmth, such as heat and sunsets.
Cool colors are blue, green, and purple. They make you feel calm when you look at them. Cool colors resemble water, skies, and snow.
Now that you know the color wheel, its components, and color temperatures, let’s dig deep into the fashion part of this blog post.
4. USE THE COLOR WHEEL TO MATCH COLORS
Use the color wheel to match the right colors together.
We finally made it to the main point—matching outfits and accessories with the color wheel.
You’re probably thinking that looking at the color wheel gives you a free pass to choose any mix you want. Not quite. If you pick any dimensions from the chart, your whole outfit will look unbalanced. There are 2 color components that you must follow as rules of thumb: analogous and complementary colors.
5. STYLE YOUR LOOK WITH ANALOGOUS COLORS
Analogous colors help you choose dark and light shades of adjacent colors that guarantee a glamorous look.
Analogous colors fall right next to each other on the color wheel. They share similar color shades. Orange and yellow are examples.
If you have a go-to color for accessorizing your whole look, go for analogous colors. Choose dark or light shades of your favorite color that make you feel secure and glamorous. If you love black, let your outfit and accessories be a mixture of grey and beige.
Black, grey, and beige colors are analogous colors that work well with each other.
6. STYLE YOUR LOOK WITH COMPLEMENTARY COLORS
Complementary colors elevate your fashion by matching colors opposite each other on the color wheel.
Complementary colors are for you if you want to elevate your fashion and step out of your comfort zone. They face opposite each other on the color wheel. They create color combinations you’ve never thought of before. Go for a yellow top and blue pants just like the pie chart indicates. And what do you know, you just created a bold and fabulous blend!
Yellow and blue colors are complementary colors that create a bold look.
After learning about the color wheel, start matching your outfits and revolutionize your fashion! Use it with some accessorizing, men, and women fashion tips.